I don't know why anyone ever compares The Grateful Dead and Phish. They are two completely different bands. They have totally different backgrounds and points of reference for song writing and are from totally different generations. The only, yes only, similarity is that they improvise on their arrangements and the same could be said for any number of bands in all kinds of styles.

That being said. They are my two favorite bands.

When I want soulfulness and good song writing or some nice spacey psychedlia (ie Dark Star, The Other One, etc.) I listen to the Grateful Dead...

When I want to listen to tightly composed longer pieces with turn on a dime jams that set moods and grooves, get a little more out there technically (odd time signatures and key changes), are a little heavier and add in some funk...then I listen to Phish...

I am 28 going on 29..I listen to more Dead the older I get but it doesn't make me like Phish any less...

ps. I'm really glad I never saw the Dead..While I love the band I am convinced they lost what I love about then about a year or two after Brent joined the band. If I had ben alive in the 70s I would have spent every night I could have with the Dead

I'm glad I never saw the Dead during my lifetime...by the time I was at an age that I would have even been allowed to see them Jerry was almost dead and the setlists and playing were weak sauce...I love the Grateful Dead but one thing I don't like about their fans is that a lot of Deadheads are unable to admit that the Dead played a ton of really, really bad shows, especially throughout the mid-late 80s and 92-95 (when I would have been old enough to see them and know what I was seeing)...they barely wrote any new songs, the ones they did were, for the most part, not that good, and they played tons and tons of covers taht didn't suit the band at all...plus we can't forget the weak Bobby slide..he was so nasty in the 70s I could never figure out why he did that.

I've actually said to friends on numerous occasions that if I had one trip back in time a 1972-75 Grateful Dead show would be very high on the list of places I'd choose to go back to but I don't see why I would want to ruin my image of a great band by seeing them at their worst. That was the point I was trying to make.

Still one of my favorite bands and the only band I listen to every day.

Well, that video was some funny stuff. As I've previously stated elsewhere, I think they're talented musicians, but their music is so quirky & nonsensical that I just can't take it seriously. Jumping up & down on trampolines, playing a vacuum with your mouth, wearing a dress all the time . . . what kind of shtick is that?

Generally-speaking I think what it comes down to is that the over-40 crowd, &/or those who saw lots of pre 90s Dead shows, just aren't impressed because most other bands (Phish included) pale in comparison. Plus most of us probably aren't doing a lot of psychedelics anymore, so there's that, too. I'm willing to guess if I took the right amount / mixture of whatever, and went to a Phish show, I'd have a good time. However, since that's not likely to happen, I'll probably never understand the mania for Phish. Truth be told I bet they (the band members themselves) are as surprised as the rest of us at how big they've gotten.

I really like Phish and ABB. However, when it comes to listening to these bands at home, they don't compare to The Grateful Dead. A GD show has contrast. Highs and lows, darkness and light, joy and sorrow.

Phish and ABB shows tend to wear on the palate. The GD had the unique ability to cleanse the palate at just right moment.

That said, Ive seen both ABB and Phish live many times. When you are out for a show and "ready to rock", they are just what the Doc ordered.

"ps. I'm really glad I never saw the Dead." ? The first time I have ever seen something like that from a fan. "There is nothing like a Grateful Dead Concert" -everyDeadhead that ever went to a show. Sorry you missed the magic show at the circus.